1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a message system for use in a telecommunications network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing multiple recipients limited access to a network subscriber's message mailbox in a cellular communications network for retrieving designated messages.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern cellular networks, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), provide several efficient mechanisms for wireless messaging among subscribers. One such mechanism is the use of Short Message Services (SMS) wherein relatively short messages (typically up to 160 characters) are communicated over a communication network using common SMS transfer procedures to intended recipients. The expense or cost to a user of SMS is less than that of a standard voice message (e.g. a telephone call) thus making SMS an attractive alternative for communicating short messages.
Another mechanism used for efficient messaging among system users is voice mailboxing, which allows users to communicate with each other through temporarily stored messages in a message database. Voice mailbox features are commonplace in modern communications systems and are employed when a user attempts, unsuccessfully, to reach a recipient. In that event, the user will have the option of storing a message (either voice or text) for the intended recipient in memory (e.g., a mailbox) accessible by the recipient via an authentication procedure, for example, a code or password input through the recipient's mobile station or another mobile station or a conventional telephone. Oftentimes, however, it is desirable for a network subscriber to broadcast messages to a group of recipients or to allow a group of recipients access to a common message such as, for example, when a user is a member of a group or team and requires dissemination of a particular message to all of the team members. To accomplish such a task, existing voice mailbox systems require separately contacting the mailboxes of all group members and conveying the common message. Such redundancy is time consuming and costly to the user who must place multiple calls on the cellular phone network, i.e. a separate call to each group member.
Several existing systems provide for conveyance of a common message to multiple recipients. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,637 (Johnson et al.) and PCT Application WO 98/10608 (Green) provide for the conveyance of a common message to members of a group by selecting a desired group, i.e. one of a plurality of pre-stored groups. A drawback of such systems is that the group members must be pre-defined, thus maling it difficult to designate specific recipients for messages. Other known systems, such as the system described in PCT Application WO 98/37678 (Miner) require the broadcasting of a common message to multiple recipients who are designated by a user.